Sleigh the season with a restaurant holiday marketing plan
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The upcoming holiday season represents more than just a time for celebration—it’s a critical period for restaurants to attract new customers and strengthen relationships with their loyal customer base. A well-planned restaurant holiday marketing strategy can transform your establishment into a can’t-miss destination during this busy time of year.
Beyond simple holiday promotions, a successful holiday marketing strategy will address each level of the customer journey—awareness, conversion, and loyalty. The goal should be to not only thrive during the festive season but also to build up your customer base for the other months of the year.
Let’s explore ideas for an effective holiday marketing campaign that will help your restaurant thrive during the festive season.
The 3 stages of a successful holiday marketing campaign
In marketing, there’s a concept called the “sales funnel,” which is essentially the journey a customer takes from finding out about your restaurant to becoming a loyal regular. Different definitions will divide the journey into multiple stages or steps.
For simplicity, here are the three main stages you should know:
- Awareness: At this stage, a potential customer first discovers your restaurant.
- Conversion: Here’s where you turn potential customers into actual guests. You’ve convinced them to walk through your door or place an online order.
- Loyalty: When a customer continues to return and tells others about your restaurant, they’ve reached the loyalty stage.
When you’re planning a restaurant holiday marketing campaign, choose strategies within each stage to attract new customers and nurture all guests into loyal members of your fan club.
13 restaurant holiday marketing ideas for each stage of the funnel
To help you create a full-funnel marketing plan for the holiday season, choose ideas from each of the sections below. That will ensure you’re targeting people throughout the customer journey.
When creating your marketing plan, set specific, measurable goals for the season, whether that’s increasing foot traffic, boosting to-go orders, or maximizing holiday parties. Select marketing strategies that align with these goals. Clear objectives also help managers and staff understand what they’re trying to accomplish.
Awareness ideas
In the awareness stage, your goal is to get the word out about your restaurant and holiday promotions. While traditionally the marketing strategies in this stage are about attracting the attention of new customers, they can also help you re-engage with people who know about your restaurant but haven’t been guests in a while.
1. Boost local SEO for holiday searches
Have you ever used a search engine to look for “restaurants near me”? It’s a common search term—over 1 million per month in the past year, according to Ahrefs.
Spend some time before the holiday season boosting your local SEO. This will ensure your establishment shows up in the results when people in your area look for restaurants online.
Here’s a checklist you can use:
- Include your business name, address, and phone number in your website’s header or footer so it appears on every page.
- Claim your business profile on social media sites, online directories, and business platforms. Ensure your information is correct and consistent across all of them. Claim your free Yelp Business Page to start.
- Add keywords to your website. Do some research to find out what people in your area are searching for. Are they looking for “restaurants with children’s menus” or “restaurants with extended holiday hours”? Be sure to include those details on your website so potential customers can find you.
2. Run targeted ads for your restaurant
Run ads to let people know about your restaurant and to highlight your holiday specials and events. Depending on your budget, you can look into print ads in newspapers or local publications, TV spots, or online ads. For most restaurateurs, online advertising is the simplest and most cost effective.
For example, with Yelp Restaurant Ads, you can set your own budget and spend as little as $5 per day. Your potential customers are already looking for restaurants on Yelp, so it’s an excellent way to reach your target audience.
3. Make it possible for customers to leave reviews
Reviews are actually great for both awareness and conversion. When customers leave reviews about their experience at your restaurant, the keywords in those reviews can help you show up in search results.
In addition, positive reviews can convince a potential guest to give your restaurant a try, leading to a conversion. In fact, 71% of consumers always or regularly read online reviews when looking for a local business.
Make sure you have profiles on review platforms so customers have a place to sing your praises. However, be careful not to directly ask for reviews or incentivize them, which is often against the policies of review platforms, including Yelp. Instead, encourage a customer to leave you a review by giving them a stellar experience they’ll want to talk about.
You can also promote your Yelp profile by including a Yelp badge on your website, putting up “find us on Yelp” signage, or highlighting other guests’ reviews on your website or social media.
4. Promote holiday specials and events on social media
Social media platforms play a pivotal role in modern restaurant holiday marketing. They give you a way to share your holiday promotions, engage with potential customers, and get their attention. Plus, just like reviews, social media can help you create awareness and convert people into guests.
Here are some social media content ideas you can use during the holidays:
- Post images of holiday-themed menu items, and signature holiday cocktails and mocktails
- Give a video tour of the restaurant decked out in holiday-themed décor.
- Share video interviews with team members to promote upcoming holiday activities.
- Count down to holiday events, and give behind-the-scenes peeks at event prep.
- Share guests’ posts that highlight their holiday experiences to drive interest and create demand.
- Consider partnering with local influencers who can help spread the word about your holiday offerings.
- Develop unique hashtags that encourage customer engagement and create a sense of community around your restaurant’s holiday experience.
Conversion ideas
Ready to turn potential customers and social media followers into paying guests? Try these restaurant holiday marketing ideas.
5. Create holiday menus and limited-time offers
A seasonal menu that captures the holiday spirit is essential to driving customer satisfaction. Develop limited-time holiday specials that incorporate festive flavors, including cocktails and mocktails, limited-time appetizers and desserts, and entrees. Make note of what becomes really popular. They could become annual traditions for your restaurant.
You can also create prix fixe holiday meals at a special price. For example, offer an appetizer, main dish, and dessert for two or a family takeout deal.
Remember to update your online ordering apps with your holiday specials too.
6. Host and participate in holiday-themed events
Create special events to give customers fun and unique ways to celebrate the holidays with friends and family. Consider hosting themed events like:
- Holiday wine pairing dinners
- New Year’s Eve celebrations
- Cookie decorating workshops
- Holiday-themed game/trivia nights
- Special shopping nights with added discounts and specials
- Holiday brunches with seasonal menu items and maybe even a visit from Santa
You can also participate in community events, such as holiday markets, tree lightings, or festivals. Apply to have a booth at these events where you can serve snacks and drinks. These initiatives not only generate immediate business but also strengthen your position as a valued member of the community.
Events are another marketing strategy that helps with both the awareness and conversion stages of the funnel.
7. Extend restaurant hours to align with holiday shopping
It’s common for shops to stay open later during the holiday season, so you may want to follow suit to benefit from the additional foot traffic. You might even consider pairing it with a “shop ‘til you drop” happy hour with appetizer and drink specials later in the evening after your dinner rush.
8. Offer holiday gift card specials
Gift cards are a perfect holiday gift for shoppers and a significant revenue opportunity for restaurant owners. They also encourage guests to visit after the holidays.
Offer limited-time gift card promotions, such as:
- A 5% or 10% discount
- A bonus gift card with another gift card purchase (e.g., a free $10 gift card for every $50 in gift cards purchased)
- A gift card giveaway or raffle (e.g., earn raffle tickets for a $100 gift card when you eat-in during the month of December)
9. Incorporate charitable giving into your holiday plans
Being generous and committed to the community can have a positive impact on your brand’s image. Here are some of the ways you can support charities and local causes:
- Donate a portion of sales on certain days during the holiday season
- Collect canned goods or have a Toys for Tots donation box in the restaurant
- Offer up your space for a fundraising event
- Sponsor community holiday events
- Promote local causes on your social media
Not only will you be making a difference in your community, 72% of consumers are “more likely to visit restaurants that aid their local charitable organizations,” according to the National Restaurant Association.
Loyalty ideas
Keep guests coming back throughout the holiday season and the rest of the year by turning them into loyal customers. Here are some ways to do that.
10. Provide seamless guest experiences during the holiday rush
You’ve done the hard work of attracting customers with your restaurant holiday marketing. Turn it into a lasting relationship by providing a top-notch, seamless guest experience.
Start by making sure your staff has the tools and support they need. Use your restaurant’s technology stack to optimize processes and guest flows during the holiday rush.
For example, with Yelp Guest Manager, your hosts will have real-time data and automations at their fingertips, allowing them to:
- Give accurate wait times.
- Manage reservations.
- Greet and seat guests on time.
- Automatically send waitlist alerts to guests.
11. Add loyalty program perks during the holidays
Use the holiday season as a time to get signups for your customer loyalty program and to reward existing members. It will inspire repeat visits even when the holidays are over.
To encourage new signups:
- Set a goal for new loyalty members, and reward staff if they reach it.
- Make it enticing for customers by giving them a free appetizer or another special offer when they sign up.
To reward the loyalty of existing members:
- Enhance the benefits with double rewards or special discount offers for holiday dining.
- Grant special access to events like holiday parties or holiday menu tastings.
12. Entice guests with email marketing
Email marketing is particularly powerful during this time of year. Let customers know about upcoming holiday events, special menus, and other holiday promotions by sending personalized messages to your email list. Include enticing images of seasonal menu items and clear calls-to-action to drive both dine-in and takeout business.
13. Engage with customer reviews
You already know how reviews help in the awareness and conversion stages of the funnel, but you can leverage them in the loyalty stage as well. Take the time to write a timely response to every review you receive (both positive and critical). It lets people know they’ve been heard, and 89% of people expect business owners to respond to all reviews.
Plus, replying to reviews gives you an opportunity to engage with guests, show your appreciation, and make things right when an experience falls short. It will further cement your relationship with happy customers or encourage others to give you a second chance.
In addition to responding, share positive reviews on social media or your website. Highlighting a guest’s experience and giving them public “thanks” is another way to build long-term loyalty.
How to measure the success of your holiday marketing
Track the performance of your holiday marketing ideas through various metrics, including reservation numbers, gift card sales, social media engagement, and year-over-year revenue comparisons. Use analytics to track which promotions are most effective, which menu items are most popular, and how your customer engagement is changing. This data can be used to optimize your approaches as the season progresses and to inform your planning for next year.
Remember to gather feedback from both customers and staff about what worked well and what could be improved. This information is invaluable for refining your marketing strategies and being prepared to adapt quickly. The holiday season moves fast, and flexibility can be your greatest asset in maximizing your marketing efforts.
Provide seamless guest experiences during the holidays with Yelp
The holiday season is the perfect time to launch a restaurant marketing campaign to bring in new customers and delight your loyal customers. With online advertising, holiday menus and events, an enhanced loyalty program, and more, you can boost profits and set up your restaurant for success in the new year.
Yelp Restaurant Ads and Yelp Guest Manager can serve as integral parts of any restaurant’s holiday marketing campaign. Schedule an intro call to learn more about how Yelp can help you succeed this holiday season.